Explosive Sonic Rush Tour to debut in 2014 with more than a dozen nationwide events

The International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) and IRG Sports + Entertainment™ (IRG) announce an all-new series set to debut in 2014, Sonic Rush Tour™, built on a foundation of family-friendly, thrill-driven motorsports entertainment.

The 2014 Sonic Rush Tour, presented by AMSOIL, will visit 13 cities in nine states with its unique brand of heart-stopping entertainment. Among the highlights of next year’s debut season is a stop at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas on September 27, a trip to Tulsa Raceway Park on November 1, a pair of shows at Edinburg Raceway on April 5 and November 15, and events at the IRG family of tracks including Memphis International Raceway (August 2), Palm Beach International Raceway (October 4), and Southwestern International Raceway (October 18).

At the heart of the Sonic Rush Tour is a dedication to providing fans with a race track experience unlike anything they have ever seen before. With non-stop entertainment designed to test the senses, the Sonic Rush Tour is exactly what its name suggests – a rush of sights, sounds and smells that is unlike anything else in the industry.

"The Sonic Rush Tour is designed to give motorsports fans a show they won’t find anywhere else in the sport. Jam-packed with a variety of jets, wheelstanders and thrill acts from around the world, the Sonic Rush Tour will build on the foundation set by the former Thunder Jam series with an enhanced show, an expanded lineup and a larger reach in markets throughout the U.S.," noted Jason Rittenberry, CFE, President and Chief Executive Officer of IRG.

Among the machines that will populate the lineup of the Sonic Rush Tour in 2014 will be the brand new X-Treme Shockwave, a 30,000 horsepower jet-powered semi-truck with enough force blasting from its massive jet engine to topple a building. Other jet acts will include the uniquely designed Queen of Diamonds jet dragster, piloted by the world famous Jill Canuso, and the world’s only jet-powered Funny Cars.

Other acts will include the world-renowned Chevy Rebellion wheelstander driven by Richard Hutchins, the Candyland stagecoach wheelstander driven by wild man Ed Jones, and the complete collection of Mike West's unique contraptions including the car-eating Megasaurus and a wild set of jet-powered vehicles including a golf cart, a smart car and even a flame-throwing recliner.

“This is an exciting time to be a motorsports fan. We live in an era where anything is possible in the name of great family entertainment, as brave daredevils around the world strap jets to anything with wheels and continue to seek out ways to push the limits of man and machine,” said Jim Marchyshyn, Vice President of the IHRA's Sonic Rush Tour presented by AMSOIL. “As part of that rich tradition of motorsports-driven entertainment, we are thrilled to debut the Sonic Rush Tour in 2014 to fans throughout the United States. This unique series will present fans with three hours of non-stop entertainment featuring some of the wildest and most exciting machines ever built. Nothing is out of the question in the name of entertainment and we plan to celebrate that innovation and dedication to the entertainment of thousands by bringing the world’s most exciting exhibition vehicles to a city near you.”